Thank you for visiting my Personal Fundraising Page. Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to make a contribution to our fundraising efforts. I am very excited this year to be running my FIRST marathon. I will be running Boston this April 21st. I have enjoyed so much training for this event and have learned to appreciate the process of pushing myself beyond what I thought I was capable of doing. I am sure some of you have felt this at some point in your life, when you reach certain crossroads where you are called on to either gut it out and give it all you have, or give up. The path we choose to take can truly define who we are and what we can become. This year I have the privilege to be a part of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Marathon Team. MEEI has a 60-member team that is diverse and dedicated. Runners span 40 years in age from 21 to 61. They are coming to Boston from 11 states across the country and from foreign countries. In fact, one runner is coming all the way from Dubai. Our team shares an enthusiasm for supporting the hospital's mission and bringing hope to people everywhere who suffer with conditions affecting sight, hearing, voice and balance. I will be running in honor of my friend and former boss, Rod Snow. I have enclosed an article done on him in the Deseret Morning News, a local Utah paper. Here is a short excerpt: "After more than 30 years of marriage, Bobbi Snow didn't think her husband's sense of humor could catch her off guard. She was wrong. They were driving in the predawn to the hospital, pensive and a little shell-shocked, when Rod Snow leaned toward her. In his best gravelly pirate imitation he growled, "I'm Capt. Jack Sparrow of the Black Pearl, and they're going to slit my throat this morning." She was stunned, briefly. Then she cracked up. Doctors would, in fact, "slit his throat" that morning in May 2004, cutting his neck from ear to ear to remove his voice box. He would lie on the table for more than four hours with his head tilted back, his neck open and exposed while the surgeon cut out the cancer that had plagued him for 2 1/2 years. Along with the cancer, the surgeon would remove something that Rod thought was key to his identity. A gifted orator, the Salt Lake attorney was "the voice," a man who could move you to tears or engage your attention with a simple inflection change. He was a storyteller, a persuader, a teacher, a singer with a rich tenor - and his voice was a crucial tool. What they wouldn't remove was his sense of humor, often irreverent and unexpected. Or his determination to reclaim his place in the courtroom and the pulpit, to maintain the life he treasures." You can read more at Deseretnews.com - Rod Snow. My husband Matt and our three children have really encouraged me in this effort. Many thanks to my daughter's Caroline and Claire who give me stretching lessons that they have learned in Gym class, their companionship on quick runs around the block as well as motivating remarks, such as "pick up your feet mom," and my personal favorite, "Hey mom, Do you think you can win the Marathon?" Thank you for your support and taking the time to donate! Geneva Sanders Soulier - Jen